A LEADING councillor has said planned local government reform should see district authorities scrapped and said it was "nonsense" that counties should go instead.

Worcestershire County Council Leader George Lord responded to a Government White Paper by saying he "isn't convinced" the county needs district councils with small budgets as compared to one large unitary authority.

A new government White Paper is being prepared which will support the scrapping of county councils, new powers for parishes, and decentralised powers to local people.

New proposals include making vital services such as education, health and social care the responsibility of local councils in clearly defined local boundaries to give more power to towns. Coun Lord, who is a Conservative, said reform is badly needed, but believes a single unitary authority should look after Worcestershire, rather than scrap the county and devolve power to the districts.

"We should have one unitary authority for the whole county," he said. "You can't tell me a county the size of Worcestershire needs so many small district authorities.

"There are district councils in Worcestershire with tiny budgets of £10m, and so much work is duplicated. Having said that, the proposed changes by government is just a political game to do away with Conservative authorities.

"There is a need for reform, but not along the ways they are proposing. Nobody can convince me we need so many local authorities with small budgets."

Worcester City Council leader Coun Stephen Inman, who is a Conservative, disagreed and stressed council should work together. He warned against rival councils "falling into a trap" and said government is trying to make it a county versus district issue.

"We can both function alongside each other and it is vital we don't allow government to divide us from doing the best we can," he said.

"I don't support losing county councils and think we shouldn't get rid of things that work. No system is perfect, but any reform will be costly, and that cost could fall on the taxpayer.

"This is just a party political issue by the Labour government because most unitary authorities are Conservative-controlled. I don't think their proposed reforms are genuine and think we should be sceptical.

"In the meantime, I would encourage the county council not to fall into an 'us versus them' trap. We need to be very worried that the Government is doing this behind the scenes."

IS REFORM NEEDED IN COUNCILS?

Malvern Hills district council leader Di Rayner said: "Government, quite frankly, likes to interfere with local councils all the time.

"In the late 1990s, the people of Worcestershire had a vote at the same time Hereford was making changes, and people said they did not want a unitary authority, so we couldn't go the other way, either.

"The council is extremely efficient, delivering quality local services to local people. We undoubtedly have a

place, as does the county."

Wychavon district council chairman Pam Davey said: "I think there is great scope for improvement in the service which would put democratic control back at a local level.

"I think change is an option worth debating once more. The biggest danger in the future is that power moves away from a local level to regional councils, so that in the end even the counties lose out.

"We need to be careful. It's easy to criticise councils but harder to suggest changes."